


I. The First Blood War

by TheLightinmySeoul



Series: The Magician of Nightfire [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Fantasy, M/M, Magic, Magicians, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-10-17 23:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10604646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLightinmySeoul/pseuds/TheLightinmySeoul
Summary: With dark magicians threatening to overcome the Kingdom of Valahad, the Circle has no choice but to accept assistance from a mysterious group of magicians from the Southern Isles, and their powerful leader whose eyes burn like fire."I have come to defy fate."





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> This is something I've been working on for a while. This is going to be a series of stories called the **Magician of Nightfire** , with two main stories, and several other parts in between.
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys this adventure as much as I do! :)

 

Soonyoung was bleeding. He could feel the warm viscous fluid pool down his left arm, soaking into his palm and falling between his fingers. He was bruised and battered, and any part of him that wasn’t dripping in blood was drenched in sweat and grime. Soonyoung pushed sweat soaked yellow locks from his face and inhaled sharply. The air was thick with smoke and dust, and the stench of burning flesh made his throat sting. He was exhausted, his head swimming from lack of clean oxygen and his muscles burned from exhaustion, but the magic flickering at his fingertips and gave him strength.

A wayward spell flew over his head and Soonyoung forced his tired limbs to move. He had just ducked behind the remains of a house when the magic collided with a building behind him. The structure gave a monstrous groan before it began to fall to pieces, collapsing from the inside out.

Within the building a figure came sprinting out a broken door, barely escaping the debris as it came crashing down around him. He nearly tumbled into Soonyoung, the two pushing themselves close to the rock wall to avoid the loose stones flying past them. His dark red hair was almost black from dirt and soot, but his dark eyes burned with fire. He shot a stern look at the older male, giving him a critical once over. “You alright?” He asked, no room for nonsense in his tone.

“Just a scratch, Minghao.” Soonyoung replied, but held out his arm obediently, knowing he would hear a mouthful if he didn’t. The red-haired magician didn’t pause, holding his hands out over the wound and letting tendrils of blue light magic seep into his skin. Soonyoung watched in fascination as the bleeding clotted off and the skin knit itself back over the open flesh.

Huffing from the exertion, Minghao grabbed a roll of bandages from his white medical bag and wrapped the wound with practiced ease. Soonyoung could see the sweat forming on his brow and he could tell the battle wasn’t going well if even their medics were exhausted.

“At least I’m alive, right?” He chuckled.

Minghao shot him a stern glare, though there was a speck of amusement in the corner of his scowl. “Barely,” he grunted.

Beginning to work the feeling back into his extremities, Soonyoung pulled a wooden arrow from the quiver on his back and knocked his brow. “Ready?” He asked and Minghao nodded, face as impassive as ever. Pausing to gather magic into his fingertips, Soonyoung poked his head over the remains of the wall and aimed. The arrow flew straight and true, alit with a glowing white energy, and the force broke through a dark magician’s barrier to impale him square in the chest. Beside him Minghao jumped to his feet and sprinted down the street under the cover of his fire.

“Soonyoung, cover me!”

Recognizing the voice, Soonyoung pulled two arrows from his quiver and knocked them, pulling back the string and letting them loose. The two arrows flew through the air and connected with the dark shadow of a barrier. The magic fractured like glass before shattering to pieces.

Four mortal swordsmen broke past the barrier, swords glinting in the sunlight. At the head was a black-haired magician who wielded a large broadsword. With a mighty yell, Jun lifted his sword and a green light exploded from the blade, throwing the enemies back. They cut down the first wave of soldiers, managing to hold their own against double their numbers, but were unable to push them back.

In an effort to help, Soonyoung shot one arrow after another, focusing his energy on the magicians that were dressed in flowing black robes that posed the most threat.

“There are too many of them!” A soldier screamed. And with a feeling of dread, Soonyoung realized he was right. They were outnumbered and with their small squadron, they were just barely holding their ground. There weren’t many dark magicians but their mortal soldiers had enough manpower to overpower them. Jun was leading the ground troops and was an excellent general, but they were separated into small groups and Jun’s barrier was the only thing protecting them from the magician’s magical attacks.

Soonyoung reached for another arrow but swore when his fingers touched only a single shaft. He didn’t know how long the battle had been going on but it had been too long.

He grabbed the last arrow from his quiver and leaned around his cover to shoot when an arrow came flying at him. It shattered against his barrier, the force tearing his bow from his fingers.

He winced in pain, scrambling for his weapons, but a sword cut dangerously close to his front, just barely missing his fingers.

Soonyoung rolled back, trying to escape the sudden attack from a swordsman. He jumped to his feet, reaching for his knife, but before he could defend another arrow hurtled toward him and struck him in his left side. He stumbled backwards, letting loose the magic in his hands out of reflex. It exploded from his fingers in a blinding flash of light and the soldier in front of him stumbled, burned from the explosion of heat. Another arrow disintegrated against his shaky recreated barrier.

He was losing magic fast and he knew it. Blood was dripping from his shoulder just as fast as the magic was leaving him. Soonyoung backed up into an open alleyway, hoping to get out of radius of the archer. The swordsman followed him, regaining his strength and bashing away at the barrier with newfound energy, emitting angry sparks in his wake.

“The enemy’s forces have breached the outer city!”

Soonyoung let loose another curse, wiping blood from his face. He grabbed the arrow in his shoulder before he broke it in half, yanking the tip out. He immediately pressed his hand against it, applying as much magic as he could spare to stop the blood from spilling out so he wouldn’t pass out. But it seemed like he had more important issues than his near death. They were already outnumbered, but if the enemy had backup they would surely be overcome.

Darkness had already started to close in on the edges of his vision and he could feel the magic dissipating through the wound like smoke.

Someone was shouting at them to retreat back to the magical barrier, but Soonyoung could barely hear over the screams of pain and the clashing of metal. Before he could react, his barrier was destroyed, the screen of light shattering into pieces, and the force sent Soonyoung crashing to the ground. The swordsman lifted his hands over his head to deliver the final blow.

But before he could perform the killing move, flames erupted from above Soonyoung’s head. He felt the hair on the back of his neck singe and a shadow of fear consume him. As black as night, the fire hit the man square in the chest, and even the man’s armor couldn’t stop the flames from licking up his skin and set him ablaze.

Magicians fire. Soonyoung could feel it in the air and in his lungs, but it wasn’t white like magic from the east, or blue or green like that from the north or south. It burned black as night, as dark as the west of the setting moon.

Soonyoung spun around, the movement jarring his shoulder and making him see stars. Striding down the alley was a large group of black robed magicians that emitted shadows that consumed everything where they walked. At the head stood a silver haired magician, face hidden in the darkness of his hood with a staff that transformed into a sword in his hands.

He lifted a pale hand and the swordsman’s fragile body broke under the pressure, the heat of the flames melting the flesh off his body. His screams were lost in the crackling of the flames.

A particularly harsh wind sent the smell of burning flesh into his nose and the hood fell off the magician’s head. Silver hair like twilight spilled around his young face, eyes as dark as night burning in his sockets. Their eyes met and Soonyoung felt a jolt of powerful magic grab him, drawing him into the darkness.

His head swam and the pain in his shoulder burned like fire. His last thought was a spark of recognition. It was the dark magicians. The enemy backup had arrived and they were here to kill him.

His vision went black just as flames as cold as ice and as black as shadows swelled around him and consumed everything.

 

 


	2. II

 

Soonyoung awoke to the smell of fire. He shot up, hands grasping for his bow, but froze as pain exploded in his shoulder at the sudden movement. A figure was by his side immediately, a gentle hand coaxing him back to bed. Once the pain had subsided, Soonyoung opened his eyes to gather his bearings.

He wasn’t in the destroyed ruins of the outer city anymore. He wasn’t lying on the ground, bleeding from a shoulder wound about to be cut in half. He wasn’t consumed by magicians fire. He was safe, in a hospital cot in a private room with a thin sheet draped over his legs and a small fire burning in the fireplace.

“You’re awake.” Minghao stood over him, concern flickering in his features. Soonyoung knew it must have been bad if even Minghao looked worried. He tried to sit up again but faltered because of the pain.

Minghao let out a hiss between his teeth and shoved him back onto the bed as gently as he could. “If you keep moving you’ll never close those wounds,” he scolded, peeling back bandages which had already begun to bleed through.

“How long have I been asleep?” Soonyoung asked as the magician redid his dressings. There were angry bruises across most of his body, but the worst was the upper torso wound and his shoulder. He stared at the ceiling and tried to distract his mind from the pain. At least he still had all his limbs.

Minghao lifted a thin finger and pressed it to his temple. A wave of relief washed over him, dampening the pain. “A little under a day,” the red haired man said as he went back to work. He finished the dressing and gathered his supplies, returning them to their spots. “But a lot has happened while you’ve been unconscious.”

“Like?” Soonyoung asked. Feeling it was safe to sit up, he careful slung his legs over the side of the bed and was careful not to jostle his arm. Even the stoic Minghao looked troubled, and it made him concerned.

“Soonyoung!” The magician turned to the sound of relief in Jun’s voice and grinned at his long time friend. The black haired male looked better than he had during battle, at least fully cleaned and dressed in proper kingdom attire. However exhaustion could be seen in the dark circles under his eyes and the heavy slump of his shoulders. He reached out to grab his hand and clasped his fingers tight. “I’m glad you’re alive,” Jun said honestly and Soonyoung chuckled in response.

“I as well, my friend,” he said.

However, Jun’s face immediately darkened and it was Soonyoung’s turn to be worried. “We need you down in the throne room as soon as possible.”

Soonyoung’s expression turned steely. “I need a report, what’s going on?”

But Jun merely looked pained. “You’ll see when you get there.” He made to help Soonyoung up but Minghao stepped in between them, an indignant scowl on his face.

“He only just woke up! He needs rest, he’s not fully recovered. If you let him walk around he’s going to open that wound up again.”

“This is an emergency,” Jun protested. “He’ll be fine, I’ll go with him.”

“Jun, I swear to god if he bleeds out-”

Soonyoung was terrified of the glare that Minghao wore but this time Jun didn’t pause. The black haired magician had already wrapped robes around his shoulders and was half walking, half carrying him from the room before the younger boy could stop them.

“I promise I’ll bring him back in one piece!” He called over his shoulder without pause.

The two let out simultaneous sighs of relief when they had gotten far enough to escape the red haired magician’s wrath. Soonyoung turned curiously toward his friend. “What’s happened since I’ve been out? I thought I was only unconscious for a day?”

They moved quickly through the halls of the kingdom palace to the large throne room on the first floor. Even though he had been out and was still recovering, Jun didn’t slow down. The older man just shook his head. “Too much.”

When they finally reached the throne room Minghao’s magic had begun to wear out and Soonyoung could feel the pain slip back into his left side. He bit the inside of his mouth to prevent from groaning out loud. He hoped whatever was going on inside the kingdom didn’t keep him from his rest for too long.

The throne room in the Kingdom of Valahad was as grand as the kingdom itself. The largest room in the castle, it boasted arching ceilings with extravagantly decorated walls and floors. Stain glass floor to ceiling windows bathed the floor in multicolored light, and portraits of all the monarchs that had ruled the kingdom were lined across the walls. The King sat in his elegant throne, older face stoic and serious, with gray hairs peeking out from under his golden crown and age wearing down his shoulders.

Rather than by his King’s side, the head of the Magicians Circle stood at the edge of the stairs, pure white cape billowing around his shoulders with thick waves of magic. Jang Doyoon, a misleadingly young man with soft brown locks, stared down with barely hidden contempt at a group of poorly dressed travelers. The rest of the Magician’s Circle stood flanking each side, and the King’s Guard lined the hall of the throne room, their hands close by their swords at their waists. Soonyoung could feel the palpable tension in the air and his own hands reached for the magic at his fingertips out of habit.

At first glance Soonyoung counted a good sixteen of them. They were dressed in ragged and dirt covered clothing that made the thick gray fabric look almost black. It was a strange mishmash of ages and genders, but they stood closely knit together with looks of angry determination on their faces masking their unease.

It was only when Soonyoung laid eyes on their leader did recognition flash through him.

The silver haired magician from the battle stood at the front of the group, almost protectively. He was younger than Soonyoung had remembered, with a round face and a shock of silver hair falling into his eyes, but his body was tense and he did a poor job of reining in the thick magic that was pouring off his body in defense. He was dressed in old, worn gray clothing that frayed at the edges and bandages wrapped around his legs peaked out from underneath his robes. He looked like as young as a child, but exhaustion and anger turned his face older.

Soonyoung remembered the black fire flashing before his eyes and the strange feeling in the air finally made sense. Now fully aware, he could feel the thick haze in the air that was magic from the west of the setting moon and it set his nerves on edge. Almost instinctively sparks formed at his fingers and he had to drag his magic back into his skin.

Dark magicians. And a lot of them too.

“What are dark magicians doing in my kingdom,” the King asked, towering over the group of magicians from his seat at his throne.

It was the silver haired magician that responded. He was petite, but held himself with such grace and strength that showed he was older and more experienced than he appeared. There was no fear in his face, only a sense of stone cold determination.

“My name is Lee Jihoon and I am the son of the Tribe Leader from the Southern Isles. My people and I come in peace to offer our assistance in this war.”

An uproar broke out and immediately many soldiers and noblemen began speaking at once. “Dark magicians want to join us?”

“But how can we trust them?”

“We’ll only get stabbed in the back!”

“They could be spies sent to destroy us from the inside!”

“We should kill them before they kill us first!”

Jihoon stiffened and the group seemed to close in on themselves, their defenses prodded. But the King lifted his hand for silence and the group quieted down.

It was Doyoon that spoke. He looked cautious and untrusting, staff never leaving his hand and back never turning toward the enemy. “You call upon the west of the setting moon, do you not?” He asked sharply.

Jihoon dipped his head, bangs falling into his face like slivers of starlight. “Yes, we practice dark magic in the Isles.”

The crowd erupted into shouts again but Soonyoung merely groaned, rubbing his temple from the sudden assault of noise. This conversation was not doing well for his headache.

“Magic from the west of the setting moon is not evil,” Jihoon broke in, tone sharp but thinly controlled. “The magicians that attacked this kingdom may call upon western magic, but not all dark magic users use their magic for such evil deeds.”

Doyoon looked furious at being interrupted but the King merely watched on, a glimmer of interest in his gaze. “How interesting,” Soonyoung thought he heard.

“Even if that was true, there is no way that we can trust you,” Doyoon countered with a low scoff. “You have no proof of where you have come from, or where your loyalties lie. To welcome dark magicians into our kingdom would be foolish, and to walk into battle with our backs unprotected would be suicide.”

The silver haired magician tipped his head to the side and Soonyoung could practically see the patience leaking out of him. “We are not spies or thieves,” he stated, voice ice cold. “We have traveled a long way from our lands in the south to fight your battles. By joining this war my people know there will be casualties. Do not be foolish to think that we are not risking anything as well.”

One of the generals scoffed in response. “Isn’t this too suspicious? Why would dark magicians be joining us now?”

“He’s right,” a nervous noblemen said, “Dark users can’t be trusted! We all know those who use dark magic are evil.”

“If you haven’t noticed,” Jihoon cut in, tone dripping poison. “But you are losing this war. At this point you can’t afford to turn any help away.”

“Are you threatening us?” Doyoon suddenly snapped.

Jihoon let out a hiss of exasperation and Soonyoung felt a surprising wave of sympathy for him. “No,” he nearly growled, “That is a statement of truth. You are losing warriors and magicians to every battle without enough people to replace them. You may still outnumber the enemy but they are growing more powerful by the day. It is only a matter of time until you will be overpowered and they will destroy Valahad.”

There was a growing dissent. What the dark magician was saying was a known truth that none of the citizens wanted to admit. The mysterious dark magician army was smaller than theirs, but dark magicians were rarer and their power stronger than the three other entities. The King’s mortal army was slowly declining in numbers due to their vulnerability to magic and everyone knew it was only a matter of time until they didn’t stand a chance.

“But how could we trust you to not stab us in the back?”

Soonyoung stepped forward into the center of the room, finally sick of just listening. His body ached with each movement, but he could never go back to the infirmary if this stupid discussion never ended. Gritting his teeth, Soonyoung swept out a hand toward the cluster of dark magicians. “They saved us yesterday in the battle,” he stated.

Jihoon’s attention rested on him in surprise and Soonyoung once again met with the magician’s gaze. His eyes were as dark as he remembered, as deep as the night that threatened to get lost in. Tearing his gaze away, his eyes followed the smooth skin down his face, marred with faint old scars, and a brand new cut that must have been attained during the battle. Chapped pale pink lips pressed together and silver locks tickled the side of his face. The man was quite beautiful, but up close Soonyoung could feel the waves of power that emanated from his being.

“They actually attacked the enemy from behind me, and didn’t stab me in the back although they had the chance to,” Soonyoung said, tone light hearted but serious. He then smiled genuinely to the silver haired magician who stared at him in shock. “I owe Lee Jihoon my life.”

Doyoon was looking at Soonyoung skeptically, a frown gracing his usually kind features. Soonyoung admired his leader, but Doyoon was being stubborn. The war was growing dangerous, and they didn’t have time to mull over the stigma that had been ingrained in them since birth. “This could all be an intricate scheme to get into our ranks and destroy us,” Doyoon countered, looking like he was trying to be more reasonable while speaking to Soonyoung.

“That’s true,” Soonyoung reasoned. “But this man also has a point. Valahad is losing the war. Our soldiers barely stand a chance against magic, and we’re losing magicians by the day. We have no other choice but to accept their help. We can’t afford to turn them away.”

“Dark magic has always been evil,” Doyoon claimed. “How do we know they won’t betray us?”

Soonyoung merely shrugged, ignoring the pain that shot through his shoulder. He glanced at the silver haired magician whose gaze was narrowed in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “We don’t. We’re just going to have to trust them.”

There was a loud creak and a gasp went through the crowd. The King stood up from his throne, royal robes billowing out around him. “Trust, a very interesting concept,” he said, staring down at his subjects with a piqued look of interest in his eye. “But is trust really what we will lay the survival of our kingdom upon?”

The older man strode down the stairs, servants hurriedly picking up his robes to trail behind him. He plucked a gorgeous wooden staff out of one of the guards hands and turned it in his fingers, taking a long look at the dark orb at the tip of the staff, before holding it out to the dark magician.

Jihoon gracefully took it and twirled the magic staff in his hands. A black smoke erupted from his fingertips and encased the wood before it transformed into a black hilted sword in his hands. He sheathed it to his belt and bowed gratefully to the King.

“I guess we shall see,” the King said, voice quiet and contemplative. He nodded to the young magician before motioning towards his guards and leaving the palace room.

It was obvious a decision had been made. Doyoon looked furious, but he did not have enough authority to overthrow a decision made by the King. The courtroom began to break out, many of the noblemen and soldiers gathering into groups to whisper among themselves.

Soonyoung let out a sigh of relief, shoulders drooping. He knew many weren’t happy, but there wasn’t any other choice. The dark magicians were their only hope in winning the war.

The golden haired man had just made for the door, the ache in his shoulder finally becoming unbearable, when a gentle tug on his sleeve made him turn around.

It was the leader. Silver locks fell into his eyes, but weren’t able to cover the dark intense stare that was directed toward him. He wasn’t smiling, but there was a curious glint in his eyes that seemed to capture him in place.

“You’re the soldier from yesterday,” Jihoon said quietly, releasing the hem of Soonyoung’s robe.

Soonyoung knew he should have felt uneasy, with only a few inches separating him from a dark magician, but he didn’t have the energy to be afraid. Other than the powerful and stern demeanor that the man seemed to command, he didn’t appear very dangerous. “Yes, my name is Kwon Soonyoung.”

The young man stared at him and Soonyoung couldn’t help but feel like those dark eyes were staring into his soul. He had eyes Soonyoung could get lost in. But then his face broke into a hesitant smile, eyes curving up into crescent moons. “My name is Lee Jihoon, second son of the Southern Isles Tribe,” he bowed, tipping his head respectfully. Then almost cautiously, he spoke. “I’m glad you’re alive.”

Taken aback, Soonyoung hurriedly copied the action. “It is all thanks to you, Lee Jihoon,” he said quickly, feeling heat rise to his face against his will. “I owe you my gratitude.”

Jihoon’s smile was distant and mysterious. A breeze of cold air caused his bangs to sway in the wind and his hair shone like moonlight. “One day I will call in that favor,” he replied quietly, lowering his gaze. “I do hope you will respond.” Before Soonyoung could question what that meant the young man swept by him in a flash of silver and disappeared.

 

\-----


	3. III

 

 

Soonyoung wasn’t allowed to leave the infirmary while his wounds were being treated. He was forced to spend the next couple of days under the strict supervision of Minghao’s nagging and by the third day he was sure he was going to go crazy. Jun continued to stop by and give him news of how the war was progressing, but it seemed like no large-scale battles had broken out. The enemy side had taken a blow and were taking the time to recover just like they were.

 

He kept an ear open to any information about the group of dark magicians that had traveled from the Southern Isles, interested to see how the army soldiers would react, but there was next to no news. “They seem to be keeping under the radar for right now,” Jun reported, a frown gracing his features. He looked haggard, working hard to reorganize their troops and develop strategies for future battles. “The council has separated them from the military and are keeping them secluded in a camp outside of the palace gates. There are rumors floating around but so far no decisions have been set in stone.”

 

“Isn’t that even more dangerous?” Soonyoung questioned, amused. He would have thought Valahad would have wanted the enemy close enough to be monitored, rather than just hanging around at the edge of their grasp.

 

But Jun merely shrugged uncaringly. “This whole situation doesn’t seem to make sense in general.”

 

Finally, after three days Soonyoung was cleared to leave the infirmary. “You’re not to be involved in strenuous activity for the next four days,” Minghao had stressed, terrifying glare promising just what would happen if he happened to return to the infirmary again. “That includes magic and sparring. And you are NOT to be involved in fieldwork,” he snapped. “Am I clear? If your wounds open up again and I have to treat you I swear to god-”

 

“Don’t worry,” Soonyoung laughed, trying to lighten the wood while secretly edging out of the room. Minghao’s wrath was not something he wanted to be on the receiving end of. “I’ll be fine. I promise I won’t get into trouble. Thank you Minghao!” He smiled and practically ran from the room with Jun at his heels.

 

He glanced at the other magician once they were out of earshot and the two let out simultaneous chuckles of relief. “For a healer he sure is terrifying,” Soonyoung commented.

 

“Would’ve made a fine soldier,” Jun acknowledged.

 

“Oh,” Soonyoung suddenly remembered, “Did you retrieve my bow?”

 

The older man went quiet and Soonyoung felt his blood boil. “Jun, what aren’t you telling me?”

 

Jun had the decency to at least look apologetic. “It was smashed to bits when I found it after the battle. There wasn’t anything I could salvage.”

 

Soonyoung breathed out his nose, trying to control his temper. It wasn’t Jun’s fault, but he had worked a long time for that bow and it had served him well for years. Jun reached over apologetically and ruffled his golden hair. “Hey, at least you have something to do while you’re out of commission.”

 

Soonyoung scowled at the joke but Jun made a quick maneuver out of his grasp and leaped down an adjacent hallway. “See you at for dinner!” He called over his shoulder, black hair disappearing around a corner.

 

Soonyoung sighed in resignation once the other man was gone. If he was to be back on the battle field in less than he week he needed a new weapon, and at least now he had the time to make one.

 

It was early afternoon with plenty of time left in the day so Soonyoung decided he could get a head start. Jun would keep him updated on the war front, but until then he should monitor his time wisely. He set into a light jog, extremities still sore from the movement but thankfully not openly bleeding. It seemed Minghao’s careful treatment had done him well.

 

He traveled through the palace hallways, slipping in between servants and soldiers, and made his way toward the front courtyard.  The Valahad army soldiers were stationed just outside of the kingdom’s entrance, large hulking men in silver armor and sharp weapons that acted as guards. There were rows upon rows of tents displayed along the front clearing and Soonyoung could see the magician’s tents in a rich purple stationed in the center.

 

“I heard the royal family took in some rogue dark magicians.” Soonyoung heard from a group of soldiers conversing around a fire.

 

“I heard that was just a rumor!” A messenger countered.

 

“No, seriously. I saw one! They’re over six feet tall and have four arms and no eyes.”

 

“My sister said that they can kill you just by looking at their eyes.”

 

“Sneaky bastards. I would never work with a dark magician. They can’t be trusted!”

 

Soonyoung’s ears perked at the gossip but he didn’t stop. It seemed that the news of the dark magicians had gotten around to the foot soldiers, but the information was still far from accurate. It would only be a matter of time before the royal family integrated the dark magicians into the army, and he just as quickly that opposition would form between the two forces. There was just too much bad blood between them.

 

He headed straight toward a line of dark green tents at the edge of the camp and entered the weaponry, scouring for materials. He found some hemp cord, leather and arrow heads, and packaged them all into a sack which he slipped over his shoulder. Now he just needed the wood and he could get to work.

 

Instead of heading back toward the palace, he made his way towards the empty stretch of forest just outside the palace army. It was a large spot of wilderness owned by the Valahad Kingdom that was mainly used for hunting. It would thankfully be empty and would give him some peace and quiet while he worked. He could collect his wood and then find a private place to work.

 

When the boisterous sounds of the army faded behind him and the warm sunlight filtering in between the trees, he was reminded of when he was a child and used to play in between the thick trees. But as he had grown up he had accumulated too many duties as a member of the Magicians Circle and he hadn’t had the free time to play around anymore. Then the war had hit and no one had really been able to become children again.

 

He was just considering which route he should take when the air changed around him and a dark haze settled over his senses. The hair on the back of his neck raised and magic surged to his fingertips in response, eyes flashing white.

 

Dark magic.

 

He panicked. His mind shut off and suddenly he was surrounded, completely covered by darkness. His senses flashed to pain and smoke and fire, the sound of weapons clashing, blood dripping down his arm and magic draining from his cut flesh-

 

“Hello.”

 

Soonyoung started, hands coming up protectively in front of him. Everything seemed to fade and he was back in the forest, safe and sound. He was surrounded by dark magic, but rather than smothering him it was just resting gently in the air, similar to his own magic which followed him around. In front of him were the group of dark magicians from the Southern Isles. They had set up a row of gray tents in a flat clearing of the forest, and were gathered around a large bonfire smoking in the center.

 

Lee Jihoon, the silver magician who had saved his life, stood a few feet in front of him. His hands were held out carefully in front of him, but rather than threatening they seemed to show that he was unarmed and peaceful. A look of concern glimmered in his dark gaze. “Are you alright?”

 

Soonyoung was confused, hands shaking. Where had they come from? They hadn’t been there moments ago. He should have been able to sense them because of their magic. The scene only made sense when he saw the carefully drawn line in the dirt around their camp that suggested they had placed a cloaking spell to cover their tracks and enclose their camp. “What-”

 

“The Circle requested it,” Jihoon explained, lowering his hands. Soonyoung did so as well, clenching his fists to draw back the magic he had unintentionally let escape in his defense. Some of the magicians in the camp were glancing at them in curiosity, all quietly murmuring amongst themselves. “They said we should stay away from the kingdom until they came to a decision.” Soonyoung thought he saw the other male roll his eyes in exasperation. “Whenever that is, before or after the end of the war.”

 

Soonyoung chuckled lightly, attempting to calm his frayed nerves. “Sounds like something they would say,” he said quietly before reaching down to grab his bag which he had dropped in his surprise. He made sure the latch was on tight and that nothing had spilled out.

 

“What are you doing out in the woods?” Jihoon asked. The young man was polite, but his tone was awkward, like he wasn’t used to conversing with others.

 

“I apologize for intruding,” Soonyoung responded, realizing that it must have looked like he had been searching them out rather than stumbling upon them unintentionally. “I used to go into the forest a lot when I was young so I know my way around. I was just collecting supplies when I happened to come across your camp by mistake.”

 

At that Jihoon turned curious. “Supplies for what?”

 

“My bow,” Soonyoung explained. “It didn’t survive the battle and I need to make a new one.”

 

“You make magical weapons?” Jihoon looked surprised and suddenly very interested. Soonyoung sheepishly nodded, he understood it was a rare skill that was difficult to master and tedious to practice. He was one of the few in the kingdom that still practiced magical crafting.

 

“One of the old masters in the Circle taught me, and it was always my interest. Unfortunately, with the war I am only ever able to do it rarely, when I have time.”

 

Jihoon nodded, still looking genuinely invested. “Fascinating. It’s a difficult skill to acquire.”

 

“Did you make your sword?” Soonyoung asked out of curiosity, remembering the man’s own weapon.

 

The silver haired man shook his head, shaggy hair falling in front of his eyes but his smile was kind. “No. I received this as a gift from an old friend during my travels.” His gaze turned starry for a moment, as if reminiscing beautiful memories, before he pulled his staff from a strap on his back. Injecting a bit of magic, he spun the wooden staff in his hands and before their eyes it turned into a sharp metal sword.

 

“Amazing,” Soonyoung whispered, immediately drawn and amazed at the craftsmanship that must have gone into the weapon. He couldn’t help himself as he stepped forward, hesitantly reaching out a hand. “May I?”

 

Jihoon stared at him and it suddenly occurred to Soonyoung that he was standing mere inches from a dark magician, in the middle of the woods surrounded by dark magicians with backup more than a mile away. Before he could even consider double thinking his vulnerable position Jihoon held out the sword for him to grasp.

 

Soonyoung took the sword, drawing it close to inspect the silver runes etched into the metal. Protection runes, power symbols, there were too many to count and the detail to have chiseled each one into the metal must have taken weeks. He could feel the thrum of power coming from the weapon, specifically the dark orb that was inlaid into the hilt. He recognized that it was the same orb that perched at the top of Jihoon’s staff. At a closer look, he could see a dark smoke swirling inside the glass, small twinkles of light blinking in and out.

 

“A medium for magic,” Jihoon explained. “It absorbs and holds energy to be used later during battle.”

 

Soonyoung hadn’t thought it was possible to accomplish that. He knew magicians in his own kingdom were still researching ways to contain energy, but all the precious stones and metals they used all seemed to break under the force of magic. “Fascinating,” he whispered. He took one last glance at the magnificent weapon, fingers itching to examine it more, before handing it back to Jihoon.

 

There was an awkward pause as Jihoon sheathed his sword to his side and Soonyoung ran out of things to say. Suddenly Soonyoung remembered the bag at his waist, his face flushing in the sunlight filtering through the trees. “Oh right, my apologies for intruding.”

 

Jihoon glanced back at the group of magicians who were all starting to gather to look on in curiosity. Soonyoung could feel his face flushing even worse in embarrassment at the crowd they had gathered. “I’ll just be looking around for materials and then I’m going to find somewhere to sit and craft. Please, go back to your people.” He bowed and Jihoon returned the gesture, a small smile on his face.

 

Taking that as a dismissal, Soonyoung turned and walked deeper into the woods. When he stepped over the drawn line in the dirt the small camp disappeared behind him and all traces of dark magic were gone.

 

The forest remained the same great power that he had experienced as a child, but Soonyoung couldn’t help but feel like he had just discovered his own little secret.

 

\-----


	4. IV.

 

Soonyoung turned his head to the sky, brushing damp blonde locks out of his eyes to check the status of the sun. He had finally found enough wood to craft his bow and to make new arrows to be infused with magic and it was only midday, plenty of time left to work. He was just about to search for a place to relax to begin his crafting process when he remembered the strange encounter from earlier with the dark magicians. Before he could stop himself, he had backtracked to where he had first entered the camp and slowly stepped across the barrier.

 

Now that he knew of the spell, it was like walking through a waterfall. Dark magic seemed to wash over him, surrounding him but feeling more like a friendly embrace than an attempt at smothering his entity. After only a few moments the air seemed to clear and the world cleared up and returned to normal. Th dark magicians hadn’t seemed to move much while he had been gone, now all gathered in the clearing to cook their food around the fire and eat their dinner. Most looked up when he arrived, as if sensing his light magic in the air, but Soonyoung quickly bowed in greeting and they turned away to let him be, unbothered.

 

Soonyoung edged around the camp, spotting a particularly nice tree stump to sit on. He was just separating his supplies when a shadow fell on top of him, blocking the sun from shining in his eyes.

 

It was Jihoon. The silver haired magician was chewing on a piece of meat impaled on a stick, staring at him rather impassively. He blinked down at Soonyoung and it was only then that he realized that the other man was holding out a piece of meat on a skewer for him. A grateful smile formed on his face at the peace offering and Soonyoung took it, blowing on it to cool the skin. He expected the other man to return to the others but Jihoon instead took a seat a few feet from him on the grass, crossing his legs and laying his weapon at his side to join him.

 

They lapsed into silence, neither able to seem to come up with conversation to make. Jihoon didn’t seem like a very conversational person, so Soonyoung didn’t pressure him. Instead he turned to his work, eating with one hand while arranging his materials with his other hand. At the side Jihoon alternated between watching him work and glancing back at the dark magicians, as if overseeing them to make sure they were behaving.

 

Finished with his meal and with his supplies arranged neatly, Soonyoung went to work. He began preparing his wood and waxing it down, before starting on the bow. Infusing magic into the pads of his fingers, he began to gently curve the wood, bending it into its desired shape. The necessary incantations and spells rolled of his tongue from years of practice, and soon the wood began to glow a soft white at the words of power. “I call upon thee, the east of the rising sun, to lend me your strength and power.”

 

Like unleashing a torrent of water, magic spilled from his body, flowing around him through the air and into the bow which burned with white light. A strong breeze sent his blonde locks waving in the air and Soonyoung had to close his eyes to keep himself from being blinded. With long practiced ease his fingers moved deftly across the bow, drawing the thick waves of magic from the air and locking it within the wood.

 

Magical crafting with a tricky sort of magic. Uncommonly taught, most magicians never even attempted the practice.  In such a pure form, magic acted almost animalistic, always trying to escape his grasp and return to the atmosphere. That was the dangerous factor, uncontrolled magic could spiral out of control. But with the numerous years of intense practice Soonyoung easily tamed the energy and contained it in his weapon.

 

When he finally opened his eyes, he wasn’t sure how long he had had been working. Magical crafting took an enormous amount of concentration, and he knew in the past he had a habit of spending hours working on a project only to realize the sun had set and he had skipped meals.

 

Unbeknownst to him it seemed he had gathered an audience. Jihoon was still snacking on his food but four dark magicians had taken places in a loose half circle to observe him. They looked younger than him and Jihoon, still teenagers with their whole world in front of them and not looking at all ready for war. They shared the same wide eyed look of amazement and Soonyoung felt his face flush red at the attention.

 

“How did you do that?” One of the children gasped, the others joining in with their own comments of wonder.

 

“Magical incantations,” Soonyoung explained, fingers moving automatically to begin stringing the bow. He tested it a couple of times and was satisfied with the tightness of the string. The movement helped to refrain him from stuttering in embarrassment. “I draw magic from my body and the environment, and then gather it and draw it into my weapon.”

 

“You can do that?” Someone exclaimed and Soonyoung nodded, an amused smile slipping onto his face. He was touched that so many people seemed interested in his work, many people in the palace had grown tired of him gushing over the details of his hobby. “You should teach us!”

 

Soonyoung paused, but not because he didn’t want to. He loved teaching and there weren’t many who were interested in magical crafting, as it was usually pushed aside for fighting and spell work. But weapon crafting took weeks to even scratch the surface of the fundamentals and years to create something seemingly half decent. Not to mention young magicians using such dangerous magic outside of a controlled environment didn’t seem like the best of ideas.

 

Jihoon surprisingly seemed to catch up on his hesitance. “Alright now, he’s probably very busy. Magic crafting is a very difficult skill which you can’t learn in a couple of hours and you shouldn’t be bothering him anyway.”

 

The younger magicians seemed to deflate at the gentle scolding and Soonyoung felt a twinge of disappointment. “Here, how about this,” he said quickly, gathering their attention again. He pulled out an arrow that he had brought along to use as a template and a thin knife. “Now, everyone understands glyphs, correct?”

 

There were quick, focused nods as everyone gathered around and even Jihoon moved closer to watch. Soonyoung balanced the arrow on his lap and carefully began carving the glyph for speed, which was a rather simple spell but could become stronger depending on the amount of magic infused into it. Once he was done he held the arrow out for them before placing two figures at the edges of the symbol.

 

“Now, you just focus on moving the magic from the environment around you, through your arm and into your fingertips.” He inhaled deeply and focused enough magic so that the light would be visible to the human eye. A translucent swirl of sunlight was drawn from the sky and it twined around his arm before snaking down his fingers. The glyph began to glow white as the magic was absorbed into the wood and magic begun to thrum from the weapon.

 

There were a chorus of oohs and ahhs and some excited clapping. Once he had infused enough magic, Soonyoung cut off the flow and the glowing stopped and the weapon went still. “If I could ask, Jihoon, would you do the honors of being my assistant,” he asked, coming to his feet. He grabbed his bow which was still unfinished, but it would do the trick for the demonstration.

 

Jihoon gave him a curious look when Soonyoung asked him to put up a barrier about twenty feet away, but still did as told. The other man did so easily and a dark field spread out in front of them.

 

Soonyoung could feel the thrum of power even from their distance and he was momentarily stunned by the amount of magic that Jihoon could command in such a simple spell. “Maybe just a little weaker,” he said lightly, trying to hide his surprise with amusement. It was a well-known fact that dark magic was the strongest form of magic, but Soonyoung could tell at a glance that Jihoon was probably one of the strongest magicians he had ever met.

 

Jihoon did as told and the magical barrier seemed to spread out, becoming longer but thinning out until it was almost completely transparent.

 

Soonyoung picked up one of his regular arrows and knocked the bow, before carefully aiming it toward the dark magic. He let loose and it immediately broke against the barrier, shattering upon impact. The barrier shook for a moment but it didn’t break.

 

“Now, watch,” Soonyoung instructed. He picked up his magically enhanced arrow and knocked the bow and pulled the string back. He let go and it flew through the air. There was an obvious difference, this arrow flew fast and viciously and sent a gust of wind behind it in its wake. It collided with the barrier and this time the dark magic shook before shattering under the pressure, breaking into dark pieces of glass that soon disintegrated. The arrow embedded itself in a tree behind it and when Soonyoung went to retrieve it there wasn’t a mark of strain on the arrow at all.

 

The young magicians gushed around him, all asking him to continue teaching them. When Soonyoung looked up, he expected to see Jihoon smiling or looking on in amazement as well, but the boy was stunned.

 

Unsure of what to say, he was about to ask what was the matter when Jihoon seemed to snap out of his surprise. “Alright everyone, give him some space.” Jihoon scolded, tone firm and leaving no room for argument. The younger children looked disappointed but no one seemed to want to argue with their leader. “It’s getting late. Go back to your tents,” he ordered.

 

Reluctantly, the magicians bowed respectfully to Soonyoung before scampering back to their spots.

 

Soonyoung smiled, heartfelt at the young magician’s interest in him, before gathering his weapons. He had just about gathered all his supplies when the look in Jihoon’s eyes made him stop. The young man hadn’t gone back to the camp, nor had he gotten comfortable on the ground again. He seemed to be staring intensely at him, eyes narrowed and body tense. Jihoon had treated him with a polite kindness, but at that moment he was radiating caution, and his body was poised to attack at any moment.

 

It was then that Soonyoung realized, Jihoon had offered the help of his magicians from the Southern Isles to Valahad, but Jihoon was still the leader of his own people. And this man would protect his people no matter what. And he had just found a threat.

 

“What’s the matter,” Soonyoung asked quietly, though he already knew the answer.

 

“You’re dangerous,” Jihoon stated with no room for argument. “And I’m trying to figure out if you’re a threat or not.”

 

Soonyoung wasn’t quite sure how to respond so he raised his hands away from his weapons as a sign of peace. “There’s no reason for me to attack you,” he attempted.

 

“Maybe not now, but it’s your country that worries me,” Jihoon answered flatly.

 

“You saved my life. I wouldn’t be so dishonorable as to try to take yours.” Soonyoung understood where Jihoon’s concerns came from, but he tried to show his sincerity. After spending time with the dark magicians, Soonyoung had no reason to dislike them. And there was no reason for distrust to form between them now.

 

“For now,” Jihoon said coolly, but there was still unease in his gaze. “But who knows what will happen after this war is over. Your kingdom has promised me nothing to protect us. These are my people and as their leader I must protect them.”

 

Soonyoung dipped his head, “And I respect that.”

 

Jihoon still didn’t look comforted, but the blonde-haired magician didn’t blame him. He knew he must look strange; a light magician suddenly taking interest with their sworn enemies, even if he had saved his life. But Soonyoung truly had no malicious intent, and he was sure Jihoon would understand that soon enough.

 

“The dark magicians are planning something.”

 

Soonyoung’s head shot up, a frown falling onto his face. “How do you know that?”

 

Jihoon chuckled, obviously seeing the look of mistrust flash across his face. “Don’t start suspecting me now,” he said, though his smile was bitter. “I’m merely stating an observation, one which I think is quite obvious. There hasn’t been any major activity for days. The last battle ended badly for them, but it wasn’t enough for them to go so quiet. They’re regrouping and waiting for something, and we don’t know what that is, or when it will happen.”

 

Soonyoung felt a pang of guilt wash over him. Jihoon had a point in his observations and he had been polite enough to point them out to Soonyoung. “I’m sorry,” he said honestly and Jihoon seemed to deflate a bit, relaxing in his posture. “You’re right. It is strange that the dark magicians haven’t attacked us yet.”

 

“The crown hasn’t told us much of how they’re preparing or what they’re planning,” Jihoon said spitefully. He looked frustrated and Soonyoung could understand, the tribe was offering their help but was not gaining any trust in return. “I’m training my magicians to be ready at any moment.”

 

“We took a pretty bad hit at the last battle. We’re taking this time to heal our injured and regroup. There hasn’t been much talk of strategy,” Soonyoung attempted, though he knew it was a poor defense. It was obvious that the Circle was keeping the dark magicians at a distance.

 

“But they haven’t included us in anything!” Jihoon finally snapped, throwing his hands into the air in his annoyance. “Do they not understand how much we can help this war?”

 

Soonyoung smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. “It’s just… They can’t trust you,” he said honestly. “After the Fall of the dark magicians, there has been too much bad history between our races. The dark magicians have too much blood on their hands for them to ignore.”

 

Jihoon scowled, fists clenched at his side. He looked hopelessly angry and lost and Soonyoung’s heart went out to him. He wanted to smooth down the panes of his forehead, relax his tensed shoulders, but he kept a safe distance between them. “What do they want from me? For me to take an arrow for them?”

 

At that Soonyoung chuckled, though the idea wasn’t at all amusing. “That may help, but they’d still think it was a trick.” He reached out a hand and held out the arrow which he had magically enhanced. A peace offering. “It will take time,” he said honestly. “Years of pain cannot be forgotten in a few days.”

 

Jihoon stared at him, the calculating look still in his gaze. He carefully took the arrow and ran a slender finger over the glyph scratched into the wood and it flashed white in response to his magic. “This kingdom does not have the time to overcome years of hatred for my kind.”

 

“But it never will unless you try,” Soonyoung countered.

 

“And why should I be the only one trying?” Jihoon asked vehemently. “Light magicians have done just as much harm to dark magicians as those that practice dark magic. Neither of us are at fault here.”

 

Soonyoung’s smile was sad. “History has always been written by the hands of those victorious. But the past cannot be changed, only the future. We must move forward, not dwell on what has happened behind us.”

 

Soonyoung gathered his things, knowing the visit was coming to an end. The moon had risen while he was focused on working and a soft moonlit glow fell down upon them. A cold wind ruffled their clothes and Jihoon’s hair looked even more like starlight at night. Up close Soonyoung couldn’t help but thinking he could get lost in his dark eyed gaze.

 

“I believe that if there is anyone that can cross this rift, it is you, Lee Jihoon.”

 

\-----


	5. V.

 

Rapid and loud knocking awoke Soonyoung early the next morning. The sun was just beginning to shine through his window when rough hands were shaking him awake and he was dragged from the warm recesses of his bed.

 

The grave look that Jun wore was enough for Soonyoung to spark a bit of life into himself, quickly getting dressed and grabbing his bow and quiver. He was still gathering his wits when Jun steered him out of the room and down the hallways toward the grand tower. There movements were quick and hurried and with each step the pit of dread in his stomach grew.

 

The North Tower was a tall, spiraling building attached to the palace where the Magicians Circle was located. They ascended the stairs quickly and Jun mercifully let Soonyoung catch his breath before they stepped into the main hall.

 

Jun quietly threw the door open and the two strode inside. Only about a third of the Magicians Circle was in attendance, which was surprising for their numbers and the current status of the war. Soonyoung checked the sun, and although it was still early Jun had informed them that they were some of the last to be notified.

 

Soonyoung took a seat beside Yoon Jeonghan, an eastern Magician from a long line of pure blooded Magicians. However, he had never seemed to fit in with the elite and poised Yoon family he was raised in. Currently he was half asleep, reclining in his chair with his short wand resting over his chest. His long lilac hair fell over his shoulders and his loud colored robes grained attention.

 

When Soonyoung sat down Jeonghan slowly opened his lids and flashed the younger man an amused grin. “Look who’s arrived,” he drawled, running a hand through his hair. The numerous jewelry adorning his fingers and clothing changed colors with magic. “I thought you were benched.”

 

“Shut up Jeonghan,” Jun mumbled, though there was no malice in his voice. The three of them had known each other since training school and had developed a friendly rivalry between each other. There wasn’t anyone else who he would rather have protecting his back in battle. “He’s recovering.”

 

“Some of us are actually assigned fieldwork,” Soonyoung taunted.

 

Jeonghan rolled his pale eyes, lilac hair falling over his shoulders. They all knew the reason why Jeonghan wasn’t drafted in battles wasn’t related to his magical skills. “Heard you didn’t last long,” he smirked and Jun shoved him.

 

Before Soonyoung could return the remark, Jun shushed them and the doors flew open. Doyoon came striding in, his usual regal appearance downtrodden and haggard. Exhaustion aged him, but there was a steel of seriousness in his gaze. The group went quiet and Soonyoung sat up straighter in his chair, the hair on his neck standing up as a chill went through his body. Something was wrong.

 

The man cast a glance around the room and he seemed to acknowledge that everyone who was supposed to be in attendance was there. It seemed there was a reason that most of the magicians weren’t around and it made Soonyoung nervous. “Thank you all for attending. I apologize for the early notice, but it seems we have a serious situation on our hands.”

 

Doyoon stepped to the center table and land out a map on the table. It displayed the kingdom of Valahad and the surrounding territories. “I will cut to the chase. Last night the crown ordered an attack on the eastern area of the kingdom which had previously been under dark magician control. It was a battalion consisting of over half of the kingdom’s army, and two thirds of our own magical defenses. They are currently half a day away from the outer city.”

 

“That’s incredibly risky,” Jun hissed, eyebrows furrowed as he bent over the map. Soonyoung could practically see the cogs turning in his head as he calculated the force of their army and the time and distance it would take to arrive in the outer city. “It leaves the main capital unprotected.”

 

“Exactly. But with the man power and the sense of surprise, they should have been able to reach the edge of the city by midday and overcome the enemy before they could react.”

 

“Should have been?” Soonyoung asked while the group processed the information.

 

“Yes, should have,” Doyoon repeated gravely. “We received information this morning that a dark magician army bypassed our protective forces and have entered kingdom territory from the east. It’s a huge group, probably most of their offensive power and with the number of magicians we have now, we are completely outnumbered. They will be on us in a matter of hours, before our army can reach the east. Unless we’re able to hold defenses long enough for the remaining forces to return to our aid we may lose the war before we can even attack.”

 

A dark cloud fell over the group and there was a tense moment of silence. Everyone was at a loss, shocked at the turn of events. The war had been going on for a long time, but no one had expected the possible defeat of Valahad. And not so soon, at least.

 

“Even if we send a group to defend, we barely have enough magic to keep the barrier up in defense,” Jun stated, chewing on his lip as he scoured over the map like it held the answers they needed.

 

“That’s the issue. But if we don’t send all the reinforces we have than there may be no city for us to protect.”

 

Doyoon let his words sink in. Soonyoung felt a sense of dread settle over his shoulders. Somehow the dark magicians had managed to bypass their army and breach their outer forces and they were the kingdoms last defense.

 

“Then what’s the plan,” Jeonghan broke out, face uncharacteristically serious. “Are we just going to sit here like sitting ducks?” He asked, standing up and shoving his chair backward. He met each gaze of the group, a hard determination set in his gaze. Soonyoung had never seen him so fired up before in his life. “Or are we going to fight?”

 

The Head Magician observed him for a moment before a small smile slipped onto his face. “We’re going to fight,” he said, and Jeonghan nodded, satisfied.

 

“We need to make preparations for an attack,” someone in the group said.

 

“We should strengthen the barrier while we’re all here!”

 

“No, we need to stop them before they get to the barrier,” someone else responded.

 

“Are any of the soldiers available? We need to notify the crown immediately.”

 

“They’re aware,” Doyoon said bluntly, leaning over the map as everyone crowded around. It seemed Jeonghan’s speech had worked for the fear of their defeat had dissipated from the room. “This is where the dark magician’s army was last spotted. They’ll reach the city in a matter of hours, if they’re heading straight through the streets. If we leave soon we can intercept them before they can breach the city gates.”

 

“Who are we sending,” someone asked.

 

“I’ll lead the defense,” Jun said, stepping up. His hand was on his sword like he expected an attack at any moment. “We’ll take twelve from the magician’s circle and any soldiers that the crown can spare.”

 

“Twelve is nearly all of us!” Another cried. “We’ll never be able to support the barrier and protect the city with the magicians that are left!”

 

Jun shot the man a look. “They won’t be able to take over the capital if they never make it past me.” Soonyoung admired his determination and confidence. And it was true, no one had ever defeated Jun in battle.

 

“The royal families guard must stay here, we have to protect the crown.” Someone pointed out.

 

“I can spare you ten, Jun,” Doyoon said, turning towards the young man.

 

Jun nodded tensely. “I’ll take everyone I can get.”

 

Doyoon inhaled slowly before nodding. He reached over and clapped Jun on the shoulder. “I leave it in your hands.”

 

“It’s not going to be enough,” Soonyoung said. He was pouring over the map, but no matter how much he calculated or assessed there was no way that with their numbers they would be able to defeat such a large force. “Even if you take the remaining part of the army they have too many dark magicians to defend. We won’t be able to hold them off until the other part of the army returns.”

 

“And the remaining magicians won’t be able to support the barrier?” Doyoon asked, turning to Soonyoung.

 

Soonyoung knew the answer before he asked. His dark expression said it all.

 

“Then let us help.”

 

Every head in the room looked up. Lee Jihoon stood in the doorway, silver hair shining in the moonlight that broke through the tower pillars and dark eyes smoldering like fire. The group of guards standing outside the door looked at a loss for words.

 

“I’m sorry,” one of the guards attempted, “There wasn’t anything we could do-”

 

Doyoon cut him off, moving to the doorway to stand in front of Jihoon. He looked down at him with dark blue eyes. “You’re not allowed in the Magician’s Tower,” he snapped harshly.

 

Jihoon didn’t falter. A cold wind swept into the room. “Let us help you,” he repeated.

 

Doyoon huffed, his annoyance rising. “How much did you hear?” He looked irritated like he was talking to a child, but Jihoon was anything but. “This is a confidential meeting-”

 

“What I heard,” Jihoon interrupted, “Is that if you don’t stop the oncoming army than this country will fall.” The group shifted uncomfortably at his blunt words but he didn’t pause. “So, what I’m saying, is that you let us help you.” The young man motioned toward the group behind him who had been observing in the hallway. They were all dressed in their armor and gear, holding wands and staffs at the ready. “My group of magicians from the Southern Isles are prepared for a battle. If we move quick enough, we can form a group together with your force and attack the army before it reaches the inner city.”

 

The group broke into whispers. The magical power would of course be helpful, but they were dark magicians…

 

“Do you take me as a fool?” Doyoon said, distaste in his tone.

 

“You’d be a fool if you didn’t take my offer,” Jihoon snarled. He stepped forward and the magic that radiated off of him made even Doyoon falter. “At this point, you don’t have a choice unless you want to watch this country fall.” Doyoon bristled, but Jihoon spoke before he could respond. “Listen, you don’t have to trust me. But we are your last resort. Otherwise the only fate that remains is our death.”

 

“Doyoon.” Soonyoung placed his hand on the older man’s arm. He knew what he was thinking; that after everything the dark magicians had done, how could they trust them… But this time, they didn’t have a choice. “They can help us.”

 

The brown-haired magician met his glance and Soonyoung could see the anguish and anxiety resonating in his gaze. Doyoon had been the Head Magician for a long time and he just wanted to protect his people. But what he had to realize was that this choice was the one that would protect his people.

 

“It’s the right thing,” Soonyoung whispered and the fight seemed to dissipate from his shoulders.

 

It took a moment for the man to square his shoulders, but he finally turned to Jihoon, a solemn look in his gaze. “Your party may join the defending force. But you must stay under Jun’s orders and follow his commands as general.”

 

Jihoon looked almost amused, and Soonyoung really couldn’t see him taking any orders from anyone, but he nodded his affirmative.

 

“In return for our assistance,” Jihoon said, looking positively pleased that he got to prod a bit at Doyoon’s patience. “When we return victorious from this battle I expect my people to be provided resources, lodging, and that I am to be granted a spot in the Magician’s Circle.”

 

“You dare test my mercy?” Doyoon hissed, looking close to taking back all his promises.

 

“Rather it is my mercy that is being tested,” Jihoon snarled, slamming his staff into the ground. The castle shook and flames flashed in his gaze. “We came here to help your kingdom, and have been met with nothing but hate and distrust. The only reason we stand here today is my mercy, and it will be the reason that your kingdom will not fall today.”

 

Jihoon didn’t give the other a chance to speak, spinning around to speak to his group. “We will meet you outside the gates, you have twenty minutes to prepare before we head out.” The magicians dispersed but Jihoon waited by the door, looking at Jun. At least he attempted to look like he was trying to succumb to someone else’s leadership.

 

“I’m going with you,” Soonyoung stepped forward, turning to Jun.

 

“Absolutely not,” Doyoon said, a bit of fight coming back to his face. Soonyoung nearly sighed in exasperation. “You’re to stay here and help with keeping the protective barrier up.”

 

“You are injured,” Jun said almost apologetically.

 

“I won’t partake in any of the fighting,” Soonyoung attempted. There was no way that he was staying in the castle. “You need someone to keep an eye on the dark magicians, right?”

 

Jihoon shot him an unamused stare and Soonyoung winked playfully in his direction. He didn’t think he was going to hear the end of that one.

 

“I promise, I won’t join in the battle at all,” he promised.

 

“Let him go, I’ll stay here,” Jeonghan drawled, seeming done with the whole conversation and now back to lounging his chair. He looked calm but Soonyoung could see him fidgeting with his rings. Jeonghan knew enough about the barrier to be able to keep it standing with their limited numbers. The kingdom would be left in good hands.

 

Doyoon didn’t look convinced but he could tell by the look in Soonyoung’s gaze that there was no way to change his mind. He sighed and laid his hand on Soonyoung’s shoulder. “Stay safe,” he said. And then he turned to Jun with an equally grim look on his face. “I’m counting on you.”

 

“Dark magician, I do hope that we can rely on you,” Doyoon spoke, gaze landing on Jihoon. “Because if you betray us, I will find you and kill you myself.”

 

Jihoon’s smile was anything but kind. “Today, death is not my fate. But if you dare to take back your promise for my people…” He stepped forward and whispered in the older man’s ear. “Beware a dark magician’s wrath. For it will be your death that will be near.”

 

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End file.
